Pavlova Had The Last Laugh

Photo Credit: Anna Pavlova leaving Vancouver in 1922 from Anna Pavlova Her Life And Art by Keith Money

An article by a critic in Chicago appeared at the end of March 1922 with the headline "Anna Pavlova Rises to Defend Maligned Golosh from Critics."

The critic wrote in this article that the American girl was becoming ungainly because, as the critic said, a male dancer in Chicago said so but Anna Pavlova who the critic named in the article refuses to believe it. The critic regarded this dancer as the greatest male dancer. He even went on to say that because American girls wore goloshes, also known as rubber boots were as he's quoting the dancer saying, "He says goloshes are giving our girls big feet and destroying the rhythm of their once charming walk." He even went on agreeing with the male dancer, saying that the women having bare knees caused them to be ungraceful."

Anna Pavlova found it utterly ridiculous what the critic was saying and the male dancer, so much she laughed at it when being interviewed by reporters to respond to the critic's article where he named her in it. The interview was taking place at her apartment. Pavlova had this to say in response to the critic.

"What an indictment!" laughed the dark-haired Pavlova. "It just can't be, Your girls are simply wonderful. They wear anything well, even goloshes. And they--I mean the girls!--are naturally graceful. I don't think it's what you wear that counts so much for grace or awkwardness-- it's what you dance. Now, why not the golosh? I've never worn goloshes, but I have worn Russian boots-- seemingly without harm. It's what the girls dance that counts." - Quote from Anna Pavlova

Eight months later, the very thing Pavlova was discussing goloshes that she said didn't harm dancers' legs like the critic, and the dancer said it did. Rubber boots became the popular item stores began selling, calling the rubber boots "Pavlowa Boot." I'm sure that left that critic and his dancer friend dumbfounded, and Pavlova had the last laugh.